My FAVORITE Woodland Troll: Søren at Coastal Maine Botanical Garden

I can’t believe it has been 9 months since I posted a blog post! Wow, how time flies when you are having fun and keeping busy!!! Since the pandemic I have been teaching online via Zoom. In the past year things have opened up and I have wonderful opportunities to travel and teach in-person. YAY!

Last summer I got to travel to the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden. I was able to meet so many wonderful students who were only faces on Zoom. The Coastal Maine Botanical Garden is a very special place! They have wonderful gardens and a special treat of GIANT TROLLS scattered throughout the forest grounds. Thomas Dambo, is the genius behind the Woodland Trolls and is considered the world’s leading recycled-materials artist. Dambo’s pieces are staggering, and each sculpture simultaneously invites seekers into the depths of the woodlands while telling a story of conservation. It was a wonderful treat to hike the trails to discover the trolls amid the forest grounds.

I will be teaching again at CMBG for 5 FULL DAYS! August 21- August 25, 2023.  Guess what the subject is……….Five Fabulous Days of Insect Fun! My absolute favorite subject to draw and paint. The colors, textures and patterns are so much fun to work with. Many people are not aware that insects play a major role in pollination. This is paramount for the survival of all living things on the planet. Without insects we would not have plants. Not only do they pollinate but they are also the food source for so many birds, reptiles and more.

A sneak preview of what you will learn at Five Fabulous Days of Insect Fun! This is a metallic Sweat Bee!

In addition to teaching at CMBG I will  have a solo exhibit, Bugs, Birds, and Blooms at the Bosarge Family Education Center from July 1- August 25, 2023. Come join me as we explore the gardens and work with a vast array of insects. It is going to be a blast and I can’t wait to share it with YOU!. This workshop is available for 1 to 5 days. You can take one day, 2 days, or all of 5…. I would take all all of them for sure! You can choose to work in watercolor, gouache, colored pencil and/or watercolor pencils. Get your art supplies ready and join us for the adventure! All levels are welcome.

August it the BEST time to visit Maine! It has great weather, much flowering plant activity and oh did I forget to say MAINE LOBSTER! Not local to Maine? No worries there are awesome, affordable accommodations close to the CMBG. If you are in need of. a place to stay you can contact me at Mlighthipe@mac.com or Caroline Davis at : CDavis@mainegardens.org

Do you know someone who would like to take this class or visit the garden? Share this post. Click any of the links in blue to register or find ut more information.